Kosherfest to Showcase Record Number of New Upscale Foods

21st Annual Kosherfest October 27-28, 2009 Meadowlands, Secaucus, NJ

Who would believe Chipotle Chili Aioli sauce, Pomegranate Acai Mints, or Pina Colada Popcorn would be found in the pantries of today’s kosher consumer?They are among more than 120,000 kosher certified items, and additional items are on the way. More than 500 newly kosher certified foods will be introduced at the 21st annual kosher food, beverage, wine & spirits trade show – Kosherfest 2009. According to the Mintel Research Organization, kosher remains the most dominant feature on new food items and an estimated 40% of a supermarket’s food products are kosher.

According to Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, V.P. Communications and Marketing for the Orthodox Union (OU) kosher certifying agency, “In the past year there has been significant increase in the number of inquiries and applications by many food companies about OU certification despite the ongoing recession. The companies are well aware that attaining kosher certification can easily increase sales and gain a larger market share. We have particularly noted a spike in applications from every segment of the beverage, baking and organic food categories.”

The kosher symbol seems to be everywhere these days, from exotic sauces and convenient heat ‘n serve foods, to gourmet and customized desserts as well as non-dairy, non-soy and gluten-free products in every food category.

According to Menachem Lubinsky, co-producer and founder of Kosherfest, “Sales of kosher foods in the past year have increased by double-digits, significantly higher than the U.S. food market in general or for that matter other categories of specialty. Kosher has benefitted from a constantly growing loyal base and the addition of many non-traditional consumers.” He credited the nation’s food retailers with having the “vision and wisdom to buy into a very dynamic and creative market.”The value of the kosher certified products market is over $200 billion, according to KosherToday, an industry newsletter. This year’s kosher food competitions and events will give visitors a taste of the best that kosher has to offer.

Kosherfest New Products CompetitionThis highly anticipated event in the kosher food and beverage industry will once again showcase the best of the best new certified-kosher products in 17 categories. There are hundreds of entries from Kosherfest exhibitors and winner will be announced following the event on October 15th. Winning products as well as the other entries in the New Product Showcase will be showcased on the Kosherfest show floor.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH

• State of the Kosher Industry: The Marketing of Kosher FoodsMenachem Lubinsky, founder of Kosherfest, will discuss how the industry can use its kosher status to make inroads with different segments of the food market, including retail and foodservice.As the kosher food industry continues to grow; more than 100,000 products carry a kosher symbol. This can be an enormous marketing opportunity, for those who capitalize on this important asset. Over ten million Americans buy kosher food and U.S. supermarkets are seeing a greater growth in this market over non-kosher sales.

• Marketing to the Broader Market Chef Scott Sunshine will show you how to “think outside the box” when it comes to marketing kosher food products to a broader consumer base. This session will cover a variety of topics, including: • Who is the broader market? Identify the major groups and know what their expectations are.• Dependable supervision, heschers and what they mean and to whom. • Product design and market research – sell the market what it wants and get the word out by building a strategic plan.

• Meet Celebrity Susie Fishbein - Cookbook Author of Kosher By Design Meet Susie at this informal educational Q&A where she will discuss the uses of Kolatin® Real Kosher Gelatin as well as signing her celebrated 'Kosher By Design' cookbook series. Featuring how Kolatin opens a world of fast & easy recipe creations for the kosher consumer.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH

• 2nd Annual Kosherfest Culinary CompetitionWatch and learn as chefs prepare their kosher deli sandwich of choice at the 2nd Annual Kosherfest Culinary Competition. A panel of industry professionals will judge and decide who takes the title.

• Crash Course in Gelatin - Presented by The Center for Kosher Culinary ArtsAn engaging presentation from the culinary experts at The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts, the only kosher cooking school in the US. This event will feature a demonstration on how to prepare Kolatin® Real Kosher Gelatin for use in cooking & baking, followed by a Q&A on the characteristics and general application of the product. Take your kitchen prowess to the next level by learning how to use gelatin, one of the most versatile ingredients out there!

Kosherfest 2009 hopes to attract more than 5,000 professional attendees and more than 300 exhibitors from all over the world. For information visit www.kosherfest.com or contact Vianna DiGristina at vdigristina@divcom.com .